The conversion of Saul is a fascinating story. A man on the hunt for Christian believers, fully convinced that he is doing God’s will. He is eager to impress his superiors and make a name for himself. He has a bright future ahead of him in Judaism. He is winning friends and influence among those in power. Then his life is turned upside down. A mysterious encounter on the road. Bright light, a voice from heaven, the appearance of the resurrected Christ. Blindness, visions, healing, baptism—the Lord intervenes, and an enemy of the church becomes a friend.

Amidst all the details, the conversion of Saul does not stand on its own. It is part of a narrative, a collection of stories in which the Holy Spirit is teaching us that it is God’s plan for Gentiles to be included in his church. Following the conversion of the Samaritans and the Ethiopian eunuch, the conversion of Saul also serves to affirm the same message.

Admittedly, Saul is not a Gentile. A Jew of Jews, his blood is pure and undefiled. He can trace his lineage all the way back to Benjamin, through Benjamin to Jacob, Jacob to Isaac and Isaac to Abraham. His ties with Israel are strong and certain. Still, he is chosen for the Gentile mission. An instrument who will be used to proclaim the good news of Jesus far and wide. Before kings, before Israel, Jesus Christ is building his catholic church.

To confirm that this is once again the key message being conveyed, there is the repetition of Damascus. The town is mentioned on five occasions in Acts 9:1–19. Geographically speaking, the good news of the gospel has come a long way.

The literary context of Saul’s conversion reminds us that his conversion is part of a bigger story. And that is important for us because it means that the details are not necessarily paradigmatic. That is to say, we should not think or teach that we all need some kind of a Damascus Road experience in order to be sure that our faith is genuine. A moment where our heart was strangely warmed, a moment where we heard a voice from heaven, where we received a very particular message from an office-bearer. Special experiences are exciting but they are not the norm.

Specifically, when it comes to Saul, his conversion was unique. It was the final appearance of the resurrected Christ before he returns again in glory. Writing in 1 Corinthians 15:1–58 he says, Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. Of course, this does not mean that there is nothing for us to learn from these events. We know that Saul’s conversion and mission confirms the fact that Gentiles are part of God’s plan for his church. We simply need to be careful that we do not create a model from that which was unique.